Male passengers block local train at South Barasat in protest against increased female coaches

A strong protest erupted on Tuesday morning in Dakshin Barasat, South 24 Parganas, as male passengers blocked railway tracks over the recent increase in the number of ladies' compartments in local trains. The agitation disrupted train services across several stations, causing severe hardship to commuters during peak office hours.

According to railway sources, the Sealdah division recently implemented changes reserving more compartments for women in local trains across all its branches. Previously, there were typically two ladies' compartments—one at the front and one at the rear. Now, additional compartments have been reserved exclusively for female passengers, reducing the number of general compartments available to the rest of the commuting public.

This change has not gone down well with many male passengers, especially office-goers who already face overcrowding during rush hours. They claim that the newly added ladies' coaches often run nearly empty, while general compartments remain jam-packed. On Wednesday morning, the protest escalated as groups of men sat on the railway tracks at Dakshin Barasat, Dhapadhapi, and Mathurapur, demanding immediate reversal of the policy.

The blockade led to trains being halted at multiple stations one after another, building pressure across the Sealdah division. As the crowd swelled and tempers rose, regular passengers were left stranded, enduring significant inconvenience while trying to reach their workplaces.

After several hours of deadlock, railway officials intervened and promised to look into the issue. On receiving assurances, the protesters withdrew, and train services gradually resumed. However, delays continued to ripple through the day’s schedule, impacting thousands of commuters.